Sunday, August 31, 2014

What is the right external 2D-Editor for 3D-Coat?

3D-Coats Paint mode offers the possibility to edit the current active paint layer within an external editor like Adobe Photoshop. This function can be applied to all existing paint layers simultanously too.

The function can be found underEdit->Sync Layers w/ Ext. Editor
For proper use of this functions meet the following requirement:

Be shure your external tool is compatible to the photoshop file format

Additional HINT for Adobe Photoshop Elements users:

When you use the synch layers function the first time Adobe Photoshop Elements starts, but no document will be opened. The layer information from 3D-Coat will be unfortunately deleted at the starting process of PS Elements.

To correct this go back to 3D-Coat and execute the function anew there. When you switch back to Photoshop Elements now all should work and you see the selected 3D-Coat layer.

The solution

For proper use of layer synchronisation in 3D-Coat you have to start Adobe Photoshop Elements before using the sync functions.

Monday, August 25, 2014

After a long term I am happy to feature a great artwork created with 3D-Coat.

The image with the name "phat knight" was sculpted by Bobby Ranvir Bath. There are some more nice works on his website. Ranvir is an very experienced artist and has worked already for some of the most known companies like Capcom, Bioware or Electronic Arts.

To visit ranvirs website with more exciting work click here: Wanna see...

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Normalmapping standarized.New presets for normalmapping introduced. You will find them in preferences->import dialog->normalmap import dialog. Andrew needs your help to prepare the presets itself exactly. Especially he has problems with 3DS Max. If someone wants to help him to create a preset - please drop a mail to support. He needs help with Modo too.

Andrew also discovered: In most cases 3D packages are not working correctly with normalmaps/tangentspace. Even in best case (baked in maya, rendered in maya) they are not shown completely correctly. But in 3D-Coat the normalmaps will be shown correctly.Normalmaps tests were done in Maya and Unity. Both platforms have problems in their shaders.

3D-Coat was updated to FBX SDK 2015 now. This decision solved a lot of different FBX export/import problems.

Normals/Tangentspace will be exported together now in FBX, but in Maya you will need to smooth normals to show them perfectly. Unity catches all well without additional actions (except it's own internal probems where Andrew has no influence.).

Monday, August 11, 2014

Tangent space/triangulation options introduced into Preferences.This feature requires some additional work to understand what settings are the best for each external software. Andrew will publih test files very soon to check different software requirements.

About Me

I am a freelance Art Director and CG Artist, located
in germany. I am always interested in enquiries for international
video game and film industries.

Beside my existing experience I am
always open for new challenges and software.
Because of working sometimes as Art Director and Projekt Manager for
graphic related jobs, I have good experience in production related tools.

My main interests are working in teams, coordinating cg artists and
planning graphic assets for projects. Of course I still create graphic content by myself too, all this since 1991.

Furthermore I am an
official tutor for the 3D software 3D Coat, which was translated by me into german too.
My native language is german, but I speak english, too. My english is
not business fluent, but good enough to not to get lost in the world and create some tutorials.